Improvement in can-fillers



C. M. KNOWLES.

CAN-FILLER. I 150,173,969. Patented Feb. 22, 1-876.

N.FETER$, FHOTO-LITHDGRAPNER, WASHINGTQN D c UNITED STA ES PATENTOFFICE.

CHARLES M. KNOWLES, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF ANDWILLIAM B. SMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAN-FILLERIS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,969, dated February22, 1876; application filed August 12, 1875.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that 1, CHARLES M. KNowLEs, of the city and county of NewLondon, in the State of Connecticut, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in'Can-Fillers and do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, which forms part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to machines for filling cans with tomatoes orother vegetables, and with meats. v

The invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinationsof parts, whereby not only the work may be rapidly and effectively done,but facilities are afforded for fillin g the cans either by steam ormanual power, or 'both, and without injury to or scattering of thesubstances being canned.

To these and other ends the invention includes, among other details orfeatures, a steam filling cylinder and plunger having an automaticaction; a yielding valve-box, which prevents an excessive pressure ofthe fillingpiston; a compound treadle, which maybe used to assist thepressing action of the fillingplunger, and which returns the latter toits normal position; an air-duct to provide for escape of air from thecan when compressing the substance within it; a novel device for holdingand adjusting the can, and a cut-off for operation in connection withthe canholder, and serving to make a clean cut, to separate the pressedsubstance in the can from that in the filling-cylinderwithout bruisingor injuring the substance being canned.

Figure 1 represents a partly sectional side elevation of a can-fillingmachine constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a partlysectional plan of the same; and Fig. 3, a sectional elevation, upon alarger scale, of the forward or filling end of the machine.

A is the frame of the machine. This frame not only carries the workingparts, but a trough, B, which is set in an inclined position, and servesto carry off anyiescaping substance or liquid during the action of themachine. C

i is the filling cylinder or tube, arranged within the lower end of anupper inclined trough, D,

and suitably contracted and shaped at its hottom end to provide for thefilling of the can S, which has its open end or filling-opening in itsone end borne up against the'discharge-orifice in the bottom end of thefilling-tube. E is ahopper in communication with the upper portion ofthe-filling-cylinder C, for charging the latter With material to becanned.

Projecting from the lower or delivery end of the filling-cylinder Cisabent or inclined air-duct, F, the outer end of which passes within thecan, while its inner end is in com: munication with a space outside ofthe filling-cylinder, to provide for escape of air from the can whenforcing the substance within the can. G is the can-holder, which isadjustable up or down in front of the lower end of the filling-cylinderC, and is held, when so adjusted, by a set-screw, b, to provide for thebringingof the filling-opening in cans of different sizes opposite thedischarge-opening in the filling-cylinder. H is a sliding cut-0d,arranged to intersect the lower or discharge end of the filling-cylinderC, for cutting off or separating the pressed substance in the can fromthat in the filling-cylinder. Thus the sliding cut-off H, working as aknife'or blade within the discharge end of the filling tube or cylinder,does in a clean manner, without bruising or injuring the substance beingcanned, the same making. a clean cut of the substance. Said cut-off H isoperated by or through a stirrup or handle, 0, which has a longitudinalsliding motion through the can-holder G as a guide, and its connectionwith the latter is such that the hand of the operator, as it isintroduced from underneath through the stirrup c, toactuate the cut-01fslide :H when the can is filled, also serves to support'or hold the canS to its place while being filled. the stirrupc is slid or drawn outwardby the hand of the operator holding up the can when the canis beingfilled. This low'ersthe cutofl' H, and opens the discharge end of thefilling-cylinder C by the connection of the sliding stirrup, through acrank, d, and arm or le vcr e, with the cutoif slide H, while a spring,f, pulling on the crank d, lifts the cut-ott' slide H, and shuts off thecommunication between Thus the filling-cylinder G and the can S, whenthe hand of the operator is relaxed from drawing out the sliding stirrupc.

I is the'piston or plunger, which works within the filling-cylinder G topress the substance into the can. This piston is of elongatedconstruction, as in other can-filling machines, and so that when it isdrawn backward from under and behind the hopper E the substance to becanned passes into the filling-cylinder O, and when said piston isforced forward it cuts off further supply from the hopper E, and forcesthe material received within the filling-cylinder into the can. Thepiston I is worked backward by a treadle, J, having'its fulcrum at g,and connected by rods h with levers K, which are connected by rodst'with the piston or plunger I. Another and upper treadle, J, connected byrods 10 with the levers K, serves to give the plunger I its forward orfilling stroke. These two treadles J J, which virtually form onecompound treadle, and dispense with any spring or weight to produce areverse action, are acttuated alternately by the operator, accordinglyas he presses down first with the one and then with the other of hisfeet on the independent treadles J J; but as more force is required tofill the can than to draw the filling-plunger back, steam-power isbrought to bear upon the filling-plunger I to give its forward orfilling stroke, and such steampower may not only be used to assist theoperator in giving the plunger its forward stroke by pressing down onthe treadle J, but independently of such treadle when necessary.

- To thus operate the plunger I by steam, the same may be variouslyconstructed as regards its internal and external details; but in eachcase it should be automatic, so that when the plunger I completes itsforward or filling or piston, arranged to fit within the plunger I, andpassing out through a stuffing-box, l, in the latter. This tube 1 isconnected at its outer end with a steam-chest or valve-box, L, havingany suitably-arranged inlet, m, and outlet a and valve 0, controllingingress and egress of steam to and from the plunger I through the tubeI. A valve-rod, M, extends from the valve 0, down and along the outsideof the filling-cylinder C, so that said rod may be slid longitudinallybackward by the hand of the operator from the front of the machine tolet on the steam, for the purpose of urging the filling-plunger Iforward to fill the can, and so that, as the filling plunger I completesits forward stroke and the can is filled, a stop, r, on said plungerwill strike a tappet, s, on the rod M and shift the valve 0, to stop allfurther supply of steam, and to exhaust the spent steam from thefilling-plunger.

The valve-box L is held to its place, or inward, by a spring, t, so thatthe same is capable of yielding outward and shutting off steam by theaid of the valve 0, which then remains stationary, whenever an extremepressure, liable to produce bursting or injury,

is put upon the can in filling in advance of the tappet 8 being struck.

By the use of a steam filling cylinder or plunger working therein, acertain amount of heat is communicated to the substance being canned,which is preferable to canning the material cold.

The upper trough or portion D, carrying the filling-cylinder and itsconnections, is pivoted at u, whereby the same may be tilted, tofacilitate washing out of the filling-cylinder from time to time byinsertion of a hose within the hopper E.

the forward or filling motion of said plunger,

the backward motion of which is controlled by said treadle,substantially as specified.

4.. The combination of the treadles J J, therods 70 k, the levers K, therods i, the piston or plunger I, and the filling-cylinder O, essentiallyas described.

5. The air-duct F, in combination with the filling cylinder or tube 0,substantially as specified.

6. .The combination, with the adjustable canholder G, thefilling-cylinder O, and the sliding cut-off H, of the sliding stirrup orhandle 0, the crank d, the arm or lever e, and the spring f, essentiallyas described.

7. The tilting trough or support D, in combination with thefilling-cylinder (J, its hopper E, and its piston or plunger I,substantially as specified.

CHAS. M. KNOWLES.

Witnesses:

AUGUSTUS BRANDEGEE, -WM. O. ORUMP.

